Explaining policing's national innovation landscape.
If you are starting out on a national implementation programme or looking to fund an innovation, it will help to understand policing’s national innovation landscape. Even if you are implementing change at a local or regional level, it’s helpful to know how to navigate and access national sources of advice and support.
Centre for Police Productivity
The College of Policing’s Centre for Police Productivity (CfPP) is the first central resource dedicated to supporting police forces to:
- harness the potential of data, innovation and technology
- speed up and automate policing activity
The College and the CfPP offer a range of resources that you may find helpful including:
- a practice bank of 400 policing interventions submitted by police forces and partner organisations
- information about over 3,000 innovations from repositories across policing
- implementation support to forces for priority innovations, which will vary over time – these currently include enhanced video response and Right Care Right Person
- an evaluation toolkit and other resources to help measure impact
- resources to support evaluation and measuring benefits
To contact the CfPP, email productivity@college.police.uk
PoliceAI
PoliceAI, the new national centre for AI in policing, began mobilising in April 2026 and was formally launched in June 2026. Hosted by the College, PoliceAI is bringing together national policing AI activity in one place, including:
- strategic direction and coordination for AI
- support for forces to adopt AI effectively
- a public register of police AI tools
- operating an AI lab to build, test and assure AI solutions before operational deployment
To contact PoliceAI, email PoliceAI@college.police.uk
Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser (OPSCA)
The Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser (OPSCA) is a dedicated unit within the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC). The OPCSA is a source of information and advice about:
- what innovative technologies are being tested across policing and beyond
- sources of funding
- the Policing Problem Book (go to defining the problem)
- where to embed scientific methods in strategic and operational decision making
Research and Innovation Network
Each police force in England and Wales is part of one of nine regional innovation committees that make up the Research and Innovation Network. These committees bring together forces in their geographic area to share learning, coordinate activity and identify opportunities. Each committee is supported by a regional science and innovation manager (RSIM). RSIMs oversee innovation activity across their region and help forces access advice, funding and existing innovations.
Contact details for your RSIM are available on ChiefsNet (you will need to log in). Your force’s link into the RSIM and the regional committee is its research and innovation lead (RIL). Each region also nominates a representative to sit on the National Science and Innovation Board (NSIB). The NSIB brings together regional insights, priorities and scrutiny, and strengthens partner alignment, particularly where joint investment opportunities exist.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is the senior operational coordination and decision-making body for policing in England and Wales.
The NPCC has a science and technology strategy that aims to help policing make better use of new technology, research and evidence. The strategy is built around three pillars:
- Engage – about spotting promising ideas and understanding emerging needs across forces.
- Evolve – about developing and testing those ideas, building the evidence and guidance needed to use them well.
- Embed – about helping policing adopt effective innovations in a consistent, ethical and sustainable way.
The NPCC Science and Innovation Coordination Committee (SICC) oversees delivery of this strategy. It brings together leaders from across policing to set priorities, coordinate activity and make sure that scientific and technological developments are aligned to national needs.
SICC helps steer innovations through the Engage, Evolve, Embed process by:
- reviewing proposals
- supporting evaluation and blueprinting
- working with partners to enable wider rollout
Another important committee for data-driven and digital technologies is the NPCC’s Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee (DDaTCC). This committee aims to make the best use of technology and data to maximise public safety and improve policing services. It oversees delivery of the national policing digital strategy through annual plans that align priorities and drive innovation across all forces.
Linking in with these committees can help identify opportunities to join relevant national programmes that could help you replicate good or promising practice.
Contact details for committee coordinators can be found on the NPCC’s ChiefsNet communications platform (you will need to log in).